These Are The Car Books Your Kids Will Keep Reading

Have you noticed how children ask for the same book over and over again, sometimes even during the same sitting? Well, there’s a reason for that—they are learning a new language, and repeated readings boost a child’s learning and vocabulary. That’s a very good thing of course, but what is the petrolista father or mother to do to maintain their sanity?

Petrolicious recommends you check out these automotive-themed children’s books. Whether you have a reluctant reader, or bookworm in the making, these books will open your child’s mind to a wonderful hobby that will enrich their lives.

Title: The Little Red Racing Car: A Father Son Car Story
Author: Dwight Knowlton
Publisher: Carpe Viam
Pages: 26 pages

What boy hasn’t dreamed of driving a bona-fide race car? Dwight Knowlton takes the dream one step further, both writing and illustrating this happy tale of a boy and his dad who make a literal barn find—in this case, a 1955 Maserati 300S racer once driven by Stirling Moss—and together, proceed to restore it…once they extract it from the barn, of course.

The author’s illustrations are crisp, colorful, and above all charming, with a vibe reminiscent of a vintage racing poster. The writing is excellent, and will fire up a child’s interest in automotive history.

Title: Richard Scarry’s Cars and Trucks and Things that Go
Author: Richard Scarry
Publisher: Golden Books
Pages: 72 pages

Richard Scarry is one of the world’s most beloved authors, and has more than 150 books to his name. In Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, he takes children on a virtual tour of various modes of mechanical transportation, both real and imagined, like a pumpkin car and the “Broom-O-Cycle”. While there is a continuous story that spans the entire book, a child (or you) can still get lots of enjoyment by flipping through it in fits and starts.  How is a road made? Will Rollo Rabbit catch his runaway steamroller? What are the firefighters doing? And were is that Goldbug hiding on each page?

Title: If I Built a Car
Author: Chris Van Dusen
Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 40 pages

The concept of this book is the incredible automobile, and everything it can be made to do. Author Chris Van Dusen’s story is an illustrated ’50s-style book about a boy on a mission to build his perfect car. Written in rhyming verse, the illustrations are wonderful, and imaginative, and will provide a perfect jumping off point for you and your child to discuss what you would choose to include (or not to) in your perfect car.

Title: Car Science
Author: Richard Hammond
Publisher: DK Children
Pages: 96 pages

Penned by Richard Hammond of Top Gear fame, Car Science is divided into four sections: power, speed, handling, and technology. It’s packed with plenty of illustrations and pictures, too. The book serves as an introduction to children as to how cars are made, and how they work. While there is a lot of information perhaps better suited for older readers, the book also has plenty of material for younger readers (and pictures!) as well.

Title: The Racecar Alphabet
Author: Brian Floca
Publisher: ALA Notable Children’s Books
Pages: 40 pages

The title of Brian Floca’s The Racecar Alphabet is a bit of a misnomer. If you are expecting an “A is for…”, this book isn’t it, and to its betterment. Instead, this large-format book is a beautifully illustrated book about automobile racing, that happens to be organized by letter. There is a lot of nice history about the different marques, eras, tracks, and personalities— plenty to keep parents engaged—and a great way to teach your kids about the alphabet at the same time.

What are some of the books you read as a child that helped inspire you to become passionate about cars? Please share them with us!